


My Hero Asagao

by ewatsonia



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: Alternate Universe - My Hero Academia, Gen, Superhero Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-07 10:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11621892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ewatsonia/pseuds/ewatsonia
Summary: A collection of oneshots set in an AU multiverse based on My Hero Academia. Not in chronological order.





	1. Eavesdropping

It hadn’t been Hana’s intention to listen in on a private teacher to student conversation. Not at all.

The thing was, Hana had needed to double back to the classroom to get something she’d left behind and hadn’t realized the meeting was taking place. Upon hearing talking, she’d frozen at the door, not sure if she should interrupt.

“…isn’t about your team  _losing_. It’s about the potential danger you put your teammate in today.” Miss Shizuka said. She was mid lecture with someone over the combat exercise they’d had today.

“Shane was fine.” a voice replied in a flat tone. That had to be Ian then, he’d been partnered up with Shane for the exercise. Right, that hadn’t ended well… He wasn’t  _wrong_ , Shane had been fine after a trip to the nurse’s office but he had gotten pretty hurt nonetheless.

“However easy to mend the injuries were,“ said Miss Shizuka, and from voice alone Hana could just picture how she might look, arms crossed eyebrows narrowed sternly. “They were entirely preventable had you reacted appropriately and used your Quirk.”

“I didn’t think I needed to. My bad, whatever.”

…Why was she still here? Hana should just leave and come back  later yet she stayed. Maybe it was because she had opened the door a crack and was afraid she’d be spotted if she made noise closing it. Maybe that, maybe her curiosity getting the better of herself too.

There was a resigned sigh from Miss Shizuka. Hana was kind of surprised by the lack of scolding with the dismissive attitude Ian had just given her…

“Do you know what all of the records from your previous teachers at the Academy have in common?” Miss Shizuka asked him.

Silence.

Okay they were talking about records now. That’s  _absolutely_ confidential. Hana should definitely get going…So why weren’t her legs moving?

“They all say  _‘refuses to utilize Quirk’_. Now there’s no shame in that, I’ve met plenty of people who have their reasons for not wanting to use theirs. The difference between them and you is I’ve never seen any of them enroll in Asagao Academy.” Miss Shizuka explained this in a tone that wasn’t of admonishment, but of genuine desire to  _understand_. “Ian, if you don’t want to use your Quirk, what on earth are you doing on the hero track?”

That was clearly a question Ian didn’t want to answer. Miss Shizuka let the silence hang in the air for a while, before sighing again and continuing. “You’ve done well in your time here Mr. Macleod, exceptional, considering how you’re setting yourself back. Before I let you go though, I need you to realize that you’ll be hard pressed to become a great hero without accepting your powers for what they are.”

Ian’s voice was hard to make out. His response was quiet, and Hana couldn’t tell what kind of emotion he was feeling as he said it. “I’ve been told.”

“You’re dismissed.”

Hearing Ian getting up, and Miss Shizuka shuffling around the classroom, Hana’s legs finally started to cooperate and she hurried down the hall, not fast enough to make it look like she was running away. She was hoping when Ian saw her he’d just think she happened to be in the hall.

Seeing him come out, she darted to a nearby locker and pretended to open the combination lock when he eventually passed by. He stopped right in front of one of the next lockers down. Hana craned her head slightly and saw him looking at her.

They made eye contact. Ian raised an eyebrow and asked her something that had annoyance written all over it. “You know eavesdropping is pretty rude right?”

Hana’s mouth made a strange, scared, noise that she was pretty sure humans were not supposed to be able to make. Her words were caught in her throat and all she could think of was Mai’s words of warning about Ian and the club he was in.

_“They’re all super villains waiting to happen.”_

Hana hadn’t gotten any further context for  _why_ that was. Personally, she’d assumed Mai meant they were…not nice people. Bullies. So naturally faced with a potential bully knowing she overheard a private conversation with a teacher the first thought in her head was to completely and utterly panic.

“ _Relax_ , I’m not gonna do anything to you. ”

Hana had trouble believing this. Ian seemed to pick up on that. He held out his hands, hunching a little,  and as he spoke again he sounded less annoyed, something that Hana had to convince herself wasn’t pleading in his tone. It was a little hard to tell his emotions with how...odd his voice sounded, it was as if someone had slightly distorted the audio of it. “Look…try to forget whatever rumors I’m sure you’ve heard about me for a few minutes maybe? I just want to talk.”

Warily accepting that he wouldn’t be trying anything(She supposed it  _would_ be rather stupid to do so this close to Shizuka’s classroom) Hana removed herself from her hunched over position by the locker and turned to face Ian. After turning her head up to look at him that is, he was freaking  _tall_.

“I…Alright.” Hana said, voice quiet.

“About how much of that did you hear?” he crossed his arms and Hana got the impression that this was what being scolded by an older sibling felt like. Not as big of a deal as a parent or teacher, but still feeling like he carried some authority over her.

“U-um…The stuff about how you…don’t like to use your quirk?” Hana stumbled nervously trying to get the words out. Waiting for his reaction to that. “Th-That’s it. I swear.” Technically she’d heard the bit about how Shane had gotten hurt too but she’d also witnessed that in class so she didn’t think that counted.

“So. Most of it.” he said.

“Sorry. I-” Hana swallowed, then just let it all out in one go “I went to grab a notebook I left behind but you and Miss Shizuka were talking and I didn’t know if I should interrupt and then I heard too much and then my legs wouldn’t move I guess I got too curious I’m  _really_   _really_ -”

“Woah, okay. Apology accepted, you can remember how to breathe now.” Ian’s eyes widened at Hana’s mile-a-minute talking. “Do you have a speed talking Quirk or something?”

Hana took a deep breath per his insistence before replying dryly, “Yeah, it’s called anxiety.”

Ian snorted and a smirk appeared on his face. That eased Hana some, going for the joke had worked out. “Good one. Look…don’t worry about overhearing that. Most people know I don’t like using my Quirk already anyway. I just thought you might’ve been listening in to-” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

Hana wanted to ask  _why_ it was that he didn’t like using his Quirk, but if he didn’t answer Shizuka’s similar question, she doubted he’d answer hers. She bowed her head and reiterated her apology. “I really am sorry for eavesdropping.”

“No worries.” Ian dismissed. He started to walk away from her before pausing and looking back at her again. “But…uh, it’s Hana right?”

She nodded.

“Hana, next time you’re trying to act like you weren’t up to something in front of someone, make sure it’s not  _their_ locker you’re pretending is yours.”

Hana flushed a deep red as he turned away and headed down the hall with another smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh so on surface level this AU is pretty simple. It's Asagao if it were a top hero school in the universe of My Hero Academia with some events from MHA incorporated. The thing, is me and my friend ended up making things way too complicated by coming up with aus of the aus and BASICALLY IT'S A MULTIVERSE OOPS. 
> 
> (We're both huge comic nerds so that probably explains that)
> 
> I figure the end notes of the first oneshot is a good place to give a run down-
> 
> My Hero Asagao- Primary universe. All branching timelines that only depend on Hana picking different routes are contained in this universe. 
> 
> Terrifying Universe- In the primary universe, like Katsuki in the MHA manga, Ian gets kidnapped by villains that (unsuccessfully) try to convince him to join them. In THIS universe thanks to a Quirk that messes with Ian's mind they succeed. Ian excels at being a villain and everything is terrifying for everyone, hence the name.
> 
> Dark Brotp Universe- In the TU, Ian tries to convince Hana to join him. This is the universe where she agrees and turns to villainy as well.
> 
> Splinter Timeline- TU!Mai figures out what caused Ian to go bad, and pushes her Quirk to it’s absolute limit to go back and fix it. Everyone has deja vu and Ian is haunted by dreams of what could have been.
> 
> ...There are actually more than this but they're not as solid/fleshed out as these. If I write something other than these, I'll give a run down in the beginning notes of that oneshot!


	2. An Offer (Terrifying Universe)

Hana’s walk that she was taking in an attempt to clear her head and deal with stress had _sort of_ been working. There was only so much a walk could do with the whole slew of problems Hana was facing right now but it was better than meandering in her dorm with her thoughts.

At least, until she passed the tree one the edge of school grounds that she used to always find Ian by. Hana pointedly kept her eyes off of that tree. Just knowing she was near it brought back good memories, but even those were too painful to her now. She tried to push them down.

“Hana.”

She almost thought the call of her name was her brain doing an astute job of ignoring her wishes to forget. Then, despite herself she stopped. Hana turned to face the tree, even though she expected nothing.

It wasn’t nothing.

A figure was leaning up against the tree. In the twilight and shade of the tree it wasn’t the easiest to make out, but Hana could see they were clad in a purple hoodie that she recognized. Her mind instantly started running through what to do. Did she keep walking? He’d probably pursue her. Stand her ground and fight? She wasn’t sure how much of a fight she could give with no backup and none of her support equipment…

How had she not noticed Ian teleporting here, with how much his Quirk tended to make itself known?

Ian stepped out from under the tree. Oddly, the first thing in her mind wasn’t run or prepare yourself like it should have been, it was his  _hair_ of all things. She hadn’t noticed before, probably because they’d always been fighting when she saw Ian nowadays, it was longer now. His bangs were styled similarly to when it was short, but the back was halfway down his neck now.

Being with the villain alliance had him letting his hair down in more than a metaphorical sense apparently.

Ian took her silence, her staring, as invitation to continue. “I just want to talk to you.”

With that Hana got the will to get back to walking past the tree. She’d switch to running if the need arose. Did he actually expect her to fall for that?

“Please. I mean it.”

Something in the way he said  _please_ made her stop again while her brain was  _screaming_ that it was a bad idea, that this was a trap.

Hana faced him. Her stance was tense, and she tried to look as big as her 5’2” height allowed her. She wasn’t scared of Ian.

…That was lie. But she didn’t have to make it obvious.

“What do you want?” she asked, her tone harsh and suspicious.

“That’s a question with a lot of answers but…” He dared to walk further away from the tree, not quite onto the pathway, still a small distance from Hana. “Right now? I can start with what I don’t want. And that’s the two of us on opposite sides of this mess.”

Hana’s mouth dropped open the slightest and she almost had a gleam of hope in her eyes before Ian continued, “I want you in the alliance with me.”

Hana narrowed her eyes and scowled at him. “After all the fighting we’ve done since you refused to come back to Asagao, you think I’m going to run off and join that gang of villains you’re in?”

“Not without some convincing.” Ian admitted. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

“You shouldn’t have come because it’s not going to work no matter  _what_ you say.” Hana reached in her blazer’s pocket, and clutched her phone in her hand.

Ian sighed, crossed his arms, and guessed exactly what she was doing. “Let go of the phone Hana, if you try to call for someone I’ll have to do something I  _really_ don’t want to right now.”

All too aware of what his powers could do to her, Hana dropped it and pulled her hand out of her pocket. She balled it into a fist, angry at herself for being too wary of his threat to disobey. The immediate compliance caused Ian to quirk an eyebrow and his mouth to form a thoughtful frown.

“…Are you scared of me?”

Hana said nothing. It was enough of an answer in itself.

Ian’s frown deepened before he spoke again. “You don’t have to be Hana. We were friends before, we can be friends again.”

“No.” Hana said, shutting her eyes tight to keep them from  _daring_ to produce tears. “We can’t. Not the way you want to.”

“Hana-” he started, and she thought there was a shake as he said her name, but that couldn’t be it, she attributed it to the natural distort in his voice instead.

“You’re going against  _everything_ you said you didn’t want to be. You  _hurt_ people Ian.” Hana opened her eyes, taking a hurt and angry step towards her former friend. “I don’t want to be that. I want to  _protect_ people. Be a  _hero_ , like you used to say you wanted to be.”  

“That’s what heroes do, huh?” Ian’s face went neutral, then his eyebrows lifted as he locked eyes with Hana. "Where were the  _heroes_ that were supposed to protect people when your old classmates bullied you?”

Hana froze. She’d almost forgotten that she’d confided in Ian about that time of her life. And here he was, using information she’d trusted him with against her…effectively too. The question invaded her head, and hearkened her back to those days before she’d come to Asagao, to days when that torment was going on and she’d asked similar questions herself.

“I…”

“You want to stay at Asagao, become one of those heroes, I won’t stop you.” Ian said quietly. “But the only way we’re ever going to be on the same side again is if you come with me Hana.”

A hand was extended towards her.

There was a split second where Hana’s mind played the devil’s advocate, wondered if it would  _really_ be so bad to take that hand and accept the rekindled friendship it would entail. Accept the consequences that would come with it.

There was an almost unconscious twitch of her own hand.

 _No_.

“ _Never._ ” the fury that permeated Hana could’ve allowed Jimmy to start a raging bonfire were he here. (It wasn’t solely aimed at Ian either, she couldn’t believe her thoughts a moment ago no matter how fleeting they were.)

The hand dropped. “Fine.”

Hana braced herself, expecting the worst. The full, terrifying force of the Void was at Ian’s fingertips and her refusal most certainly meant he’d be using it, and she had no way of defending herself from it.

It didn’t come. Well…it did, but not at the level she expected. A sense of wrongness filled the area, Hana’s chest begun to ache. She watched a rip in reality into nothingness appear behind Ian. He spoke no more words to her and went towards it.

All Ian did was glance back at her. His eyes were dark and filled with static. Before she could even wonder if him looking  _sad_ was her eyes deceiving her, he stepped into the Void and disappeared, taking all the side effects of it with him.

As much as she knew she shouldn’t, Hana made a vow with herself not to mention this meeting to anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Profiles:
> 
> Hana Mizuno  
> Quirk: Flower Phoenix  
> Hana can fully heal someone in a puff of flower petals by making physical contact-but only if their injuries are near fatal or they're on the brink of death. The flower petals produced have significant meanings!
> 
> Ian Macleod  
> Quirk: Void  
> He can transport people and objects through "the Void." However, it has many side-effects, such as a feeling of wrongness and mild pain from proximity. Transporting people through it makes them cough up blood


	3. No Air

Jeff hadn’t been in the greatest of spirits that day for a multitude of reasons. That’d been his motive for inviting PBG over to his room for some friendly video game competition in the first place. Nothing like playing some dumb games with your best friend to get yourself back in a good mood right?

A couple of loud thuds outside indicated PBG failing to knock Jeff’s door open with a jump kick and falling to the ground. He snickered to himself. He  _knew_ he was going to do that.

When Jeff went to check, the door didn’t open all the way.  It collided with PBG who was still on the ground. Snickering again, Jeff grabbed his arm and effortlessly hoisted his friend right up .

“You know that jumpkick thing from that movie only works if the door opens  _inwards_ right?” he asked, letting him go.

While getting his clothes in order from their brush with the floor, PBG huffed. This was apparently a mistake because that sent him into a coughing fit. “I…feel like I can’t breathe.” he choked out, before taking a deep breath to alleviate it. “Whew! That fall knocked the air right out of me!”

It had to be the sour mood Jeff had been in creeping back, but he didn’t take the comment PBG dismissively made that well. “If you couldn’t breathe you couldn’t talk.” Jeff said, unamused. “That’s how lungs work isn’t it?”

He immediately headed back into his room, not looking for his friend’s reaction. That had been…a little harsh.

“Dude it’s just an–is everything okay?” PBG’s voice snapped from mild annoyance to concern in an instant.

“Fine.” Jeff pretended to look around the room for something. “You want to play something on the GES or the Oui? ‘Cause those are the only ones set up and I don’t really feel like dealing with little plugs and wires right now.”

“I didn’t know fine could mean ‘upset about my Quirk’”

“I’m not-”

“‘ _That’s how lungs work isn’t it?’_ ” PBG repeated, in a perfect imitation of Jeff’s voice and tone a moment ago that caught him off guard. Ugh, he forgot PBG could use his Quirk for that sometimes. “What’s up?”

Jeff gave up and flopped into the chair by the TV. “Just feeling the ‘oh right I’m a normal human’ thing a bit harder than usual today I guess. I know I make jokes about not having organs and stuff a lot but… _uuuugh._ ” he groaned, dragging it out.

PBG plopped down next to him and awkwardly pat him where Jeff imagined it looked like he had a shoulder. “Any reason? Someone say anything?”

“Nothing that they meant to be digs at me.” Jeff replied .”Saitomo called my Quirk by its name in front of the class and it gave me an unfriendly reminder of what I already know I guess. Everyone looked a little uneasy like they remembered too.” 

“Well first of all, _to heck_  with them,” PBG began, and reached for a pair of controllers. “And  _second_ of all how about losing to me at some Nario Kart to get your mind off it?”

Jeff smiled, a good distraction is what he needed right now. He wasn’t all that comfortable venting about this stuff for too long, it usually just made him feel worse for bringing people down… Some distance worked better.  
  
“There’s  _no way_  I’m gonna lose to you, but hand that over.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Profiles:
> 
> Peanut ButterGamer  
> Quirk: Muscle Match  
> His Quirk allows him to perfectly replicate any movement he’s memorized, as long is it is within the physical boundaries of his body. However, if he tries to copy something beyond his limits he injures his muscles. (And his Quirk doesn't account for any obstacles in the way)
> 
> Jeff Fabre  
> Quirk: Cosmic Horror  
> His Quirk causes him to be everything that is and could possibly be scary about space. His human body is actually a facade created by his Quirk as nobody could properly comprehend him. As such, he also doesn't exist entirely on this plane of reality.


	4. Trembling (Splinter Timeline)

“Are you….cold or something?” Ian asked, voice hesitant. It was unlikely. He had a feeling he knew what the answer was. The library’s windows were open to let in the warm summer air, and Luke was wearing a jacket. 

“No. Why, you?” his friend asked, sounding a little on the defensive side.

“No. it’s just….” Ian looked away from Luke’s eyes, to his hands shaking as he gripped the textbook in front of his face. Then to his shaking shoulders as well. It was hard to ignore it honestly.  “You’re trembling.”

“Oh uh” Luke looked down, like he hadn’t noticed himself. Which somehow, Ian found hard to believe. “So I am. That’s weird. Maybe I’m coming down with something.”

That Ian found hard to believe as well. Luke had been perfectly fine a little while ago. That had only changed when Jeff had left fifteen minutes ago, getting an urgent text from PBG. Since then, Luke had been a little on the pale side. And wasn’t making any direct eye contact with Ian, mostly hiding behind his book. And then there was trembling of course. All that, from the moment he was alone with Ian. It was like…

Luke looked even more nervous, now that Ian had brought attention to it. The page of the book he’d been on for about five minutes suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world. Ian let it slide until a couple sounds came from Luke that raised a red flag.

At about the fifth “Hm” Luke let out, Ian had to bring attention to it. “ _Luke_ , you sound like you’re about to start humming.” Ian informed him, raising his voice. Luke usually controlled his urge to do that better, since any rhythm his voice produced lead to anyone who heard it falling into a trance and under his control. Luke was off today.

“Aw man, _sorry! Sorry!_ ” Luke said frantically, his hands shaking so bad he had to put his book down, lest he drop it.

….Or was he off. Ian wondered, remembering all too well the incident that had happened when they’d gone back to their dorm last week. Today wouldn’t have be the first time Luke “accidentally” hypnotized him recently if he hadn’t stopped it in time. It was like…

“I really am not feeling myself today. Maybe I should head to the nurse, see if Creeps can figure anything out.” a nervous giggle escaped him. Ian frowned.

“Want me to take you then? You’re not looking too good either. I wouldn’t want you to like, pass out on the way or anything.” Ian asked. If Luke actually was feeling this sick after all, Ian wouldn’t want to let his friend all the way to the Nurse’s office on his own.  And if he wasn’t feeling sick…

“Nah, nah, It’s not that bad. I-I can manage on my own. Catch you later!”

Luke bolted so fast now that he had an excuse, Ian couldn’t hide the look of absolute hurt on his face. There it was. Luke wasn’t feeling sick. Luke just wanted to leave. Luke just didn’t want to be around Ian.

Luke was scared of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Profiles:
> 
> Luke Sizemore  
> Quirk: Siren's Call  
> Any sort of rhythm created with his voice(singing, humming, or rapping)is inherently compelling and hypnotic, being specific about what he wants the person to do only makes it more powerful. He cannot shut off his Quirk.


	5. Game Night Gone Wrong

“This is why we can’t have nice things,” Ian said, holding up and inspecting a controller that had been burnt to a crisp. He held up another ruined controller, that one with the grips crumbled like soda cans. “ _And_ why we shouldn’t play Marionette party, like ever.”

Jeff looked away, sheepish, but Jimmy crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t have accidentally torched the controller if you people could control your anger better.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten angry if  _someone_ hadn’t been stealing all our stars.” Caddy grumbled, shooting a glare at Wallid, who looked like he held no regrets whatsoever.

“It’s part of the game my dude.” he said with a shrug.

Luke watched his clubmates bicker and shook his head. “Just toss them in the box Ian, we’ll figure out something else to do.”

Ian sighed and chucked both of the offending controllers in a cardboard box that sat off to the side of the clubroom. The two controllers weren’t the only ones of their kind in the box labeled  _“Jeff’s Mistakes.”_

“Hey come on, only one of those was my fault!” Jeff objected, looking terribly offended.

Ian shook his head and stood by his decision. “Marionette Party was  _your_ idea, thus a controller getting torched by Jimmy because James got angry  _at_ Marionette Party belongs with all your other mistakes.”

“Whatever.” Jeff rolled his eyes. “What do we do now, another game? Maybe something less competitive?”

“We only have one spare controller.” Wallid informed them. “Movie night instead?”

“Duuude yeah, I got this movie I meant to freak Peanut out with in my bag!” Jeff darted for it with a grin, his annoyance at getting the blame for both controllers forgotten already. He produced a dvd with a blood dripping alien on the front cover of it that proclaimed itself  _“Bloody Abduction VIII”_   Ian vaguely wondered if Jeff had managed to trick PBG into watch the seven movies that preceded it too.

“I’m cool with movie night but no way,  _no_ horror movies. We don’t need me filling the room with smoke if a bunch of us get scared.” Jimmy shook his head, shooting the idea down. A movie that was  _any_ sort of high emotion wasn’t a good idea with Jimmy around honestly.

Jeff pouted.

“Aw come on Jim, we’re not going to get scared of a dumb alien movie. It’ll be fun.” Caddy insisted, then he smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re scared….?”

“I’m not scared of aliens, I’m just being practical. Because you might be scared of aliens.” he kept his arms firmly crossed.

Luke stood up and held out a hand. “All right, all right, let’s settle this, raise your hand if you’re scared of aliens.”

No takers. Jeff even snorted at the idea of  _him_ of all people being scared of them.

“…or copious amounts of blood?”

Given they were all training to be superheroes, nobody raised their hands for that either. Either out of truth, or not wanting to admit it for that reason. With that, the motion passed, and Luke grabbed the DVD from Jeff to stick it in the player.

Jimmy rolled his eyes. “If anyone of you actually make me start leaking smoke, you owe me ¥1000.” he threatened.   
  
As it turns, Ian was the one that wound up  ¥1000 poorer that night. Even if it was because of cheap jump scare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Profiles:
> 
> Jimmy Whetzel:  
> Quirk: Emotion Absorption  
> His Quirk lets him passively or actively drain negative emotions from those around him and he can release them as various forms of energy. This allows him to also act as an empath for those emotions.
> 
> James Caddick  
> Quirk: Slaughter/Salvage  
> Caddy can emit special energy black and white energy out of his hands- the black energy that can accelerate the natural decomposition of something, and the white energy that reverses it! He can't reverse damage done by outside forces, and accelerating is much easier than reversing.
> 
> Wallid Kanaan  
> Quirk: Magical Girl  
> Wallid can infuse objects with power that allows him to to transform into a magical girl with powers based off that object. His costume and transformation sequence are rather dark and evil looking however.


	6. Incomprehensible

Ian and Jeff had known from when they first met(Jimmy, excitedly introducing Jeff to the rest of the yet to be fully formed Hidden Block Club) that their Quirks didn't... _get along_ , for lack of a better term. Ian got a weirder vibe from Jeff than most people did and Jeff got weird vibes from Ian without him having to use his Quirk. It made sense, they'd both agreed. Jeff's Quirk was everything. Ian's was nothingness. Directly conflicting.

It was towards the end of Ian's second year that they discovered exactly _how_ conflicting they were.  The pair of them were killing time in the club room, Jeff doing a little cleaning because nobody else seemed to bother with it, when they got on the subject of Ian’s Quirk. Jeff was rather curious about it.

“Aw come on. You don’t have to do anything fancy, just open it, maybe drop something out of it?” he asked.

Ian leaned onto the table, not bothering to lift his eyes from the game he was playing on his phone. “ _No_. I don’t like opening the Void around anyone.”

His friend wasn’t ready to let up just yet. “I’m not going to judge you because of what your Quirk does, that’s kind of the whole point of our club.”

Turning towards him this time, Ian vaguely noted that Jeff’s facade had taken on a different hairstyle and eye color since the last time he looked at him. He’d gotten used to it by now. A side effect of their Quirk conflict-his human facade was very erratic and ever changing for Ian. “It’s not that. Haven’t I mentioned there’s side effects? _Painful_ ones at that.”

Jeff scoffed and tossed the empty soda can he’d been holding in the trash, then crossed his arms. “Dude. I’m made of outer space and don’t fully exist on this plane of reality. I kind of doubt it can hurt me.”

“The Void is weird, you don’t know that.” Ian said as his phone played a failure sound effect. He put it down on the table, giving up on the game for now.

“Alright, what’s it gonna do to me?” Jeff asked, and the more he thought about it, the more of a blank Ian drew. The side effects that came to mind-chest pain, nausea, fatigue-those required...an actual human body and organs.

Jeff didn’t exactly have those things.

Maybe it _was_ safe to open the Void around him? Ian himself would get some backlash but he could usually stomach it if it wasn't open for long...

“... _Just_ this once.” Ian warned. “I’ll find something to pull out of the Void and that’s it. I’m back to saving my Quirk for emergencies only.”

A bright grin spread across Jeff’s face. Was he really _that_ eager just to see Ian pull something out of the Void? “That’s good enough for me!”

Ian took a deep breath and firmly shut his eyes. To Jeff he probably appeared to be doing it for focus. The truth was Ian just wasn’t keen on anyone seeing the dark grey and black patterns of static that overtook them when he used his powers. Friend or not.

He latched onto his connection with the Void, visualizing something to pull out of it. Nothing too complicated or big…oh there was a basketball in there for whatever reason, that would work. Simple, extremely so, but Jeff only wanted a demonstration after all.

Clenching his fists and feeling painful pins and needles settle into his chest more and more every second, Ian ripped through reality into the Void, and opened a gateway in front of him and Jeff for the basketball to slip through. A strange and overwhelming sensation he couldn’t describe flowed through Ian as he did so. That was...new. Eh, probably just something weird with the Void because he was doing it around Jeff. Speaking of...

“Well?” Ian asked, waiting for his friend’s reaction. Jeff had practically begged Ian to do this and now nothing. Ian’s word hung in the air, still no response. He started to open his eyes to see what was up. “What, my basketball leaving you speech...”

“ _NO IAN DON’T-_ ”

“...less.” Ian finished the word as Jeff shrieked, and his eyes opened.

For not even a moment, Ian had a glimpse at **_everything_** _._  But even the tiniest fraction of second was longer than he could stand to look at it.

All went dark.

-o-

He didn’t know. He didn’t _know_ . Their Quirks conflict, don’t react well to each other, Jeff _knows_ that, he’s known that since he met Ian. But he didn’t know the conflict was so extreme it would cause the Void to shatter his facade the second he met it.

And Jeff _asked_ to meet it. Encouraged Ian to pull something out of the Void like it was a simple party trick.

Jeff is the reason his friend is lying there, looking almost lifeless in the bed of the school’s infirmary.  What kind of future hero is he? Ian's been there for several days now, and even with others instance he should take a break, Jeff has been there for all of it too. He can't bring himself to leave Ian's side when it's _his_ fault. 

Ian warned him, he hadn’t wanted to do this. Ian had been worried about _Jeff’s_ safety.  Guilt pangs through all of his being, remembering the careless, incredulous way he asked what the Void could do it him. What had he been thinking?  He hadn’t, he admits. He’d been too curious about Ian’s Quirk.  Jeff supposes he wasn’t wrong about the Void not hurting _him_. For him, the shattering of his human facade was shocking at worst. But…

Another glance at Ian, eerily still, is spared. There’s a reason Jeff has that facade. Look at what the briefest glimpse of it could do to someone. He’d been right about the Void not hurting _him_ , but it’d made him hurt his friend.

...Will Ian even want to be his friend after this? He won't fault him if he doesn't; Jeff’s starting to wonder if his Quirk is too much, too scary even for Hidden Block to be welcoming of. Hypnotism, whatever the hell the Void is, control over decomposition...those are tame compared to what Jeff is.  

Well, having a whole group of friends for once had been nice while it lasted. It usually took less than a month to scare potential friends away. He should be proud he’s made it this long. At least he’ll still have Peanut after he’s kicked out his club. Maybe.

Eventually, the silent stillness of the infirmary is broken by shuffling of cloth and a tired groan. Jeff’s attention falls in the direction of the bed in an instant. Relief pours over him, extinguishing the flickering anxiety in the back of his mind that had been wondering if he’d done permanent damage. If Ian would even be able to wake up.

“The _hell_?” asks Ian, voice weak from days without talking. He looks around in utter confusion at his surroundings. “We just were in the club room…”

Jeff’s voice is weak for other reasons. “We uh...weren’t _just_ in the club room. You’ve been out cold.” he mutters. “For...a couple days..”

Ian stares, eyes narrowing. He clearly doesn’t believe him. “You’re messing with me.”

Jeff wishes he was.

“Nope.” he pauses. “You...don’t remember?”

“I remember I was pulling something out of the Void. And then I woke up here. With a _massive_ headache. What happened?” There’s a franticness to his question, he’s unnerved and Jeff doesn’t blame him.

The words to describe it are failing him. Instead, Jeff puts a facsimile of a hand on Ian’s shoulder, and for the briefest moment, lets the false sense of touch it gives fall away. Gives hint that it’s just that, a facsimile, a fake. It still looks like a hand but to Ian should feel like so much more. Not enough to hurt him again, Jeff couldn’t consciously do that even if he tried, thank goodness.

Something changes in Ian’s eyes, now there's an understanding present. Jeff waits for the moment of Ian ripping himself away from him in horror. It doesn’t come. And then Jeff lets it just be a hand again.

“That…Times about infinity.” Jeff answers quietly, pulling away from Ian. Fear resonates through him, waiting for a response.“That’s what happened.”

Ian lets out a breath he’d been holding. Then he raises an eyebrow and there’s a weak smirk. “...Did your unfathomable eternity break the basketball too? Because I’m pretty sure that wasn’t mine.”

Against all odds, Jeff _laughs_. It’s a laugh at the absurdity of Ian’s response, the idea of what might’ve become of that basketball, and above all _relief._ Ian’s joking with him. Ian didn’t recoil from him. _Ian isn’t scared even though he has every right to be._

He’s never been so grateful in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the record, the tense shift in Jeff's POV was on purpose
> 
> also present tense is hard.


End file.
